TOP Damian Lewis Moments 2015: “Prince Charming” of Berlinale

source: firstpost.com

One reason that makes us love Damian Lewis even more than we do is that this guy knows how to have a GOOD TIME — exactly like how he did at the Queen of the Desert World Premiere at Berlinale earlier this year!

Damian simply ROCKED the premiere with his wit and charm and was even called “Prince Charming” of the festival by Rainer Traube, the Head of Arts at Deutsche Welle, Germany’s state run international broadcaster.

So… Let’s travel back to February 6 — the day Queen of the Desert arrived at Berlinale!

Queen of the Desert, the highly anticipated biopic about Gertrude Bell, a historian, novelist and member of the British Secret Service, directed by Werner Herzog, and starring Nicole Kidman, Damian Lewis, James Franco and Robert Pattinson arrived at Berlinale 2015 complete with a photo shoot, press screening followed by a press conference with some FUN moments and, of course, the Red Carpet and an after party! We were extremely lucky to be able to see both the Press Conference and the Red Carpet LIVE on the festival website. That’s what I call public service 🙂 Thank you, Berlinale!

Let’s start with the official plot of the movie from Berlinale and then talk about “Damian Moments” of the day!

“The film tells the story of Gertrude Bell (1868-1926) who, as historian, novelist and member of the British secret service, played a decisive role around 1920 in setting the course for the new political order in the Middle East. As an educated young woman, for whom no suitable husband can be found in England, she journeys to Tehran.

After a tragic love affair with diplomat and inveterate gambler Henry Cadogan, she decides to give up on her private life and discover the region as an explorer. Before the backdrop of the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire she learns languages, translates literature, meets with Muslim dignitaries in Cairo, Basra and Baghdad and earns their trust through her pluck and respect. Predestined to be a mediator between the Orient and the British Empire, she contributes to defining the new borders in the region after the First World War.

And then love enters her life once again.

[Side note: And this LOVE is the one we’re most interested in. And, lucky us, the first clip that came out is a romantic one from this very love. Enjoy!]

Werner Herzog uses the vast desert landscapes to depict the architecture of his characters’ souls. A panoramic epic about the woman who has gone down in history as ‘the female Lawrence of Arabia’.”

source: Berlinale Livestream

In the press conference, Damian Lewis talked about the research he did about his character Charles Doughty-Wylie and his relationship with Gertrude Bell at Newcastle University. In case you missed it, you can see a piece, that I wrote earlier here, on Damian’s character in the movie, Charles Doughty-Wylie, and on Damian’s research at Newcastle University.

Damian said of the relationship between Doughty-Wylie and Bell: “They sent beautiful and erotic letters to each other… but of its time… there is nothing explicit or sexual… there were suggestions of love, of missing each other… And, Doughty-Wylie was married, so… he was, I suppose, in some ways, being a naughty boy… I’m not sure if he would have ever left his wife or not… I think he was caught, he was caught, but he was certainly taken by Gertrude Bell.”

source: Berlinale Livestreaming

Hearing Damian Lewis talking about his research and all is great, BUT… the funniest and the loveliest moment of the Press Conference was when Damian said: “I had a looong kissing scene with Nicole, but got CUT… I don’t know if that was because I am not a very good kisser or not , but I enjoyed filming it…”

Who could get cuter than that?

And… on to the Red Carpet moments… Damian Lewis arrived with his lovely wife Helen McCrory.

source: Berlinale Livestreaming

And, he kept busy talking to reporters on the red carpet.

source: Berlinale Livestreamingsource: Berlinale Livestreaming

Damian shared a laugh with his co-star Nicole Kidman.

source: CBSnews.com

Honestly, I like this kind of photo, the natural moments if you wish, much more than the staged photos at photo shoots or on red carpets. That’s probably why I did not have a professional photo shoot even for my wedding 🙂 Maybe it’s just me, but yeah, it’s me 🙂

And he even gave a short interview in which he does a Werner Herzog impression – priceless 😀

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Author: Damianista

Academic, Traveler, Blogger, Runner, Theatre Lover, Wine Snob, Part-time New Yorker, and Walking Damian Lewis Encyclopedia :D Procrastinated about a fan's diary on Damian Lewis for a while and the rest is history!
View all posts by Damianista

Hi Sandrine, it’s great to see you here, too – thanks so much for your kind comment and for all exchanges on Facebook and Twitter – you ROCK! It would be my pleasure to write what he says in the video! In a nutshell, he first talks about his hotel room looking at Brandenburg gates in Berlin which he likes and then talks a bit about how it is to work on Herzog’s set and how disciplined Herzog is that he wants everyone to be quiet on his set, and of course he does an incredible Herzog impersonation!!! I will check if there is anything I am missing and will let you know. It never occurred to me that we could in fact write what’s said in the video clips so fans in non-English speaking countries can just use google translate and understand what’s going on — that’s a GREAT idea which I will try to do from now on. Thank you for the heads-up! Hope you come visit us again and leave feedback — fans and readers like yourself keep us going and going. Happy New Year!

I agree with Sandrine, it is disheartening to not understand what Damian said in a video, and thank you kindly translate!
I understand that it must give you extra work, but if you knew, as help and pleased, to fans who do not speak English
thank you very much!
Merci Sandrine ‘avoir pensé a parler de notre problème
Monique

I know! I am trying my best to transcribe most videos but sometimes they are long and so they take more time. But I will try to transcribe them as often as possible – thanks so much Monique for your constant feedback!